Lithuanian Radio and Television

BAKUTYTĖ Vida, ŠEGŽDAITĖ Vitalija, Vilnius

On the 12th of January we were at the Radio and TV building. People kept warm near bonfires and sang. It was calm everywhere, and it seemed like we weren't in danger. We went home to warm up around 8 p.m. We returned at about 1:30 (on the 13th). We walked from the Taurakalnis busstop and we could already hear shots by the Department of Natural Sciences. First there were gun shots, and then you could hear volleys of machine gun fire. Students ran towards the RTV center from the hostels. We had just got to the main entrance of the television committee when a column of tanks and armored vehicles sped through Vingis Park in the direction of the city. The people joined hands, and chanted: “Lithuania!" The column immediately turned back. They began to fire by the radio building. They shot from tanks, machine-guns, and tommy-guns. The deafening sounds and flashes didn't make the people recede. We saw silhouettes pushing people inside the Radio building. The shooting was getting more and more intense. Paratroopers were throwing explosives in the parking lot. There were civilians there. I watched as a guy shielded his eyes with his hand from the blaze and flames of the explosives. Meanwhile, paratroopers ran by us with helmets, bullet-proof vests, and explosives hanging on their belts. The people, grabbing each other by the hands, shouted once more: “Lithuania! Fascists!" A paratrooper threw 2 explosives next to us and then ran farther on. An explosive was thrown by the door, and a flame blazed up. The paratroopers ran forward and rushed through the windows. The shooting intensified and the paratroopers broke into the building site. The sound of breaking glass rang out. People were saying that they were shooting blanks, but you could clearly hear bullets whistling over our heads.